Love Lennon !

[kooky]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:06pm

Saw Lennon AGAIN last night - - - Everytime I see it I love it more - -
does anyone feel the same way? Has the public caught on to this
amazingly entertaining show - - regardless of what those critic said ?
Will it be all word of mouth? The music is so powerful I have been
singing it all day!

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:07pm

shill.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:09pm

jrb, be nice.

Updated On: 8/28/05 at 09:09 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:09pm

Seeing it for the 2nd time on Wednesday.
You must've liked it, you're rather enthusiastic.

[kooky]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:13pm

Sorry guys - - I love the Lennon music ! You can all like what you like - - -but the fact STILL remains the music is great! DON'T Go if you don't like
Lennon music !

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:16pm

No one ever questioned the greatness of John Lennon, but you sound like a shill. If you are not, we'll seeing you posting in a month. And bravo to you on loving a show. Otherwise, hope you are getting paid well.

[Apollo]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:20pm

The musical is garbage.

If you want to listen to the greatness of John Lennon, pick up his CDs and listen to the sould of his music coming out of his mouth.

9 performers playing Lennon is the worst idea. You can't figure out who is who and when it's happening. One moment, the person is Lennon, and the next, he's David Frost.

I'm glad I only paid $3 for my ticket. I want it back.

Poor Terrence Mann. One a star, with a Tony. Now an ensemble member.

[kooky]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:24pm

jrb, You are rather nasty tonight, I happen to LOVE this show,
and I will be here posting in one month - - will you? I would love to be
paid for loving it,, then I could pay some bills . That would be great !

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:26pm

oh honey---this is nowhere NEAR nasty for me!

And, look at my join date and then get back to me about whether I will be here in a month or not. k?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:36pm

I hate that people see this show and hear the music and think they 'know' John Lennon. I had such hopes that this show would capture who he was and what he stood for... Instead we got the second coming of Brklyn. I've said it before and I'll say it again: John Lennon deserved better.

I may have missed it, but has anyone who was a Lennon fan when he was alive, embraced this musical? I haven't noticed anyone.

[kooky]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:43pm

O.K. ----- I give up - - - All the show Iv'e seen in the last 50 years, mean
nothing, I still LOVE LENNON . The audience was cheering and screaming. I guess they hated too!

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:49pm

So that would be a "yes" then...I stand corrected.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:56pm

Now, now, jrb.

I remember kooky.

Little kooky did post this in my Most Romantic Broadway Lyrics thread so don't be so hard on our little kook:

re: Most Romantic Broadway Lyrics
Posted On:8/7/05 at 10:00 AM


" I Have Dreamed " The King and I,

" In these dreams I've loved you so, that by now I think I know ---
what it's like to be loved by you, I will love being loved by You "

Could you just die ?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:58pm

ok. just seemed a little kooky to me.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 9:58pm

oops! I made a dupey.

Updated On: 8/28/05 at 09:58 PM

[homosezwhat]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 10:00pm

If John Lennon saw this show, he would never stop throwing up.
Vegas meets theme-park with a little American Idol thrown in for good measure.
At least in Pillowman, you know the little girl isn't really being tortured.
At Lennon, you have to sit and watch an entire cast being tortured, and it's for real.

The offensive stuff with the guru made my jaw drop.
The sign language at the end of some songs was SO bad it was almost funny. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

(next 2 paragraphs to be read in the voice of Stewie)
Hoover in pumps! Ha-HA! That joke is SO fresh! and clever!
I'm amazed the Simpsons didn't do it ten years ago!
What a brilliant way to utilize Terrence Mann! So ingenious the way they treated him like a stagehand!
It was sort of an inside joke for those of us who know him as Javert and the Beast, etc...
And jokes about Ringo! Again, how very, very timely and clever! how daring! To risk offending the millions of Ringo fans! Bravo! The only thing missing is a "talk to the hand" line.
And I was SO glad to see the photos projected whenever anyone was mentioned. "Oh, look. It's a woman in a black and white photo and they're singing about his mother...I wonder if there's a connection? How moving! Perhaps they should go all the way and just flash the word that describes how we, as an audience, should be feeling at each moment. SAD. Oh, yes...I can see that."
Ugh...

They managed to sanitize, neuter and de-brain the man, his music, and his story.
And...um...one more thing...if everyone on stage was an aspect of John...since we are all one and I am you and you are me and we are one together(or something like that)...why did we have to be tortured with those AWFUL accents? So, you're telling me that some Johns are black, and some have vaginas, but...they all have the same accent?
please.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 10:24pm

Apollo, John would be proud of 9 Lennons. It's an interesting concept to really convey is "I am He, You are He" belief, however you may want to phrase it. In his ideal world, we were all equal regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality, whatever. Look at that cast. Tell me it's not a rainbow. There are gay men. Black men. Black women. White men. White women. An asian girl. The cast speaks to equality - an issue totally important in John's battle against the world. "Woman is the n* of the World" is done stunningly and hauntingly by Marcy because, I'm sure, it has a much more double personal meaning for her. Regardless, though, if Terrance Mann were to sing it, it would still be powerful. The song speaks to everyone because EVERYONE should be equal to each other.

The production is brilliant. John is not and would not be ashamed and I truly believe that he is up there, on that stage performing with that incredible cast every single night.

[StarbuckQAF]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 10:35pm

Thank you iluvtheatertrash, I completely agree --

It's really too bad the Lennon haters got to this thread first, it's such a downer. But nonetheless, kooky, know that you're not alone in your fandom -- The show has many MANY fans, and get more after every show. Not everyone is going to like it, but in my opinion, it's their loss, because this show is wonderful. It's different, and NOT a traditional musical, but that in no way makes it bad. People who haven't seen it are really just talking out of their a*ses, because they have no way to judge.

For those who saw it and hated it, that's too bad. You're totally allowed to hate and like what you want, but try to refrain from entering threads about the LOVE of a show just to rip the fans apart. It's childish and pointless.

Continuing with the Lennon-love... Seen it 4 times (3 of which were in SF), and I can't get enough of it. With great singing, acting, and performers who can just blow you away... for me, there's not a lot to be unhappy with. Putting John Lennon on stage where he was born to be and honoring him for his talent and skill makes this show one that shouldn't be missed (and Apollo, the whole "9 Johns" thing wasn't confusing at all... you must not have been watching the show with your eyes open, because it's quite clear: When someone is wearing John's round glasses... They are John. Plain and simple.)

The idea was inspired, and I adore it.

[homosezwhat]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 11:02pm

(smooths out ruffled feathers)

I didn't mean to insult y'all who are fans of Lennon.
I just had to vent. And about bringing bad reviews into a "love" thread...I see what you mean, but I also like to hear all sorts of different takes on things,
and I'd rather have the good and bad reviews together, rather than segregated.

It is so bizarre how opinions can be so different.
I have a question for the Lennon lovers. I'm seriously asking, even though the question could easily be taken as sarcastic and nasty.

What shows have you not liked?
just wondering.

[StarbuckQAF]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 11:25pm

homosezwhat: The idea of expressing negative reviews with positive ones is one thing, but do you honestly think that those of us who are Lennon fans are NEW to the bad reviews? From the critics, they were really hard to avoid, so it's nice to get away from that occasionally and call out to people who share your love for something. Nice to get away from the negativity sometimes.

And while I can't speak for ALL the "Lennonites" out there as to what shows they disliked (since you know... we're not all one person and opinions differ), I can personally say that I didn't enjoy Sweet Charity at all (the Revival). It didn't move me in the least... it was fun in ways, but wasn't doin' in for me.

I was bored to tears watching Contact... More interpretative than my tastes could stomach, and though I can understand the appeal, I don't see it, especially in regards to it being a "musical" -- I'm not a Mamma Mia! fan at all. I'm not saying it SUCKS (because who am I to declare that, right?) but to me it was fluff. I'm also not a huge fan of ABBA music.

I'm sure there have been others in the past that I haven't liked, and they all vary for different reasons... Disliking one show doens't mean you'll dislike another, and same can be said for liking something. In my experience with the countless shows I've seen, you can't know until you see it to make a judgment for yourself. Usually, I do my best to find SOME redeaming value in a show, because being positive is more beneficial to me than being negative. I try to give the show and those who work on it a little credit, because it's the least that they deserve.

With Lennon... I went in with little to NO expectations at all and found it to be PHENOMENAL! I've since seen it multiple times and want more and more.

All I can say to people out there who have doubts about it... Go and see for yourself. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.

[Apollo]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:40am

OK... I understand what you mean ILOVETHEATRETRASH.

I grew up listening to John Lennon and remember the day he was shot.

The show should have been done as vignettes with each person playing John at a different time. How is it that there were 4 Johns to 1 mother?

One minute the asian woman is John and the next minute, she is Yoko.

4 women as the Beatles? At least have them put silly wigs on to do the number.

John would believe that the show was tried, and it failed. He believe you couldn't always win, but you should always try.

Oh, get Yoko and Sean out of the audience already.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 3:48am

homosezwhat- i did not like The Boy From Oz. poor casting for the female characters, and a book that trivialized his personal life to the point where i almost didn't recognize jarrod emick when he sang "i honestly love you" (beautifully, i might add.) i had a decent time at Mamma Mia!, but i won't be back unless a favorite performer of mine is in the show because the book hurts me, it's just not very entertaining. i enjoyed Fiddler, but found the second act unable to compare to the first, and therefore i left the theatre a little disappointed. i did not like the staged production of Chicago, it felt uninspired. i have never seen the third story in Contact because the first two put me to sleep. and i am not a big Hairspray fan either-- tracy turnblad makes my stomach churn, even when an actress i like (kathy brier) is playing the part, i still loathe the character, and i loathe the way she was directed to sing.
terrence mann is a talent, yes. is he wasted in this show? i believe not. every performance doesn't need to be the spotlight role with bells and whistles, sometimes it's about doing a project that truly has meaning for you, and i believe this project is very special for terrence. (see the roundtable interview.)
pictures on the screen? i think they are there to show the audience, to remind the audience, that this story and the people telling it are real, a piece of history. it's to show you who the person was, in relation to their role on the stage. it's a kind of rememberance for people like Julia Lennon.

apollo- are you so closed-minded that you really believe Lennon was depicting 4 Johns to one mother? or that 4 women can't portray the beatles onstage without being flat-out camp? you trash the show, and then speak as though you know John. i doubt you do. i don't think anyone still on earth could know how John would feel about the show, but i think his family has a pretty good idea, better than you, a fan, do. the cast and crew have created, with the help of yoko (John's self-proclaimed other half), a celebration of John, of his life, and of his music. many of us enjoy it. many do not. but no one has the authority to trash Lennon on the grounds that "John would not have liked it" or something of that sort, because no one knows how John feels. the closest we have is his family, the people who shared his most intimate moments, and i think we should respect their decisions.

iflitifloat- i've seen the show 10 times, and each time i have encountered a mix of fans--fans of the cast, AND fans of John. all have approached me to discuss how much they enjoy the show. just because you and a handful of other John fans did not see the show as it is, as a celebration of John's life and music, does not mean that those of us, the handful that did see it that way (and appreciate it), don't exist.

**edit: and did i miss something in my ten visits? what was offensive about the maharishi?

i still don't understand why someone who didn't like a show would feel the need to post on a "love" thread. start your own thread, please. why do you need to get your ya-yas by disrupting what could have been a pleasant discussion? =(

Updated On: 8/29/05 at 03:48 AM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 9:53am

I hated WICKED and gave it a second chance to fall in love. I hated it more on that second visit.

I was bored to sobs at SWEET CHARITY. While the score is enjoyable, I just don't understand why ANYONE would want to make a musical out of that story.

Personally, I'm not a fan of THE LION KING. While the direction and costuming is simply stunning and one of the most brilliant things that will ever hit the Broadway stage - the show itself bores me to sobs.

----

Apollo, it isn't about 4 Johns to one mother. There shouldn't be four Johns to four mothers. The show isn't about the mother. The show is about John. About his belief in equality. So, therefore, why do we need four mothers? The statement comes from the mind and heart of John.

Also, if you look between the lines as to why Julie Danao-Salkin is playing the mother AND Yoko, it has a lot to do with who inspired John. As a child, his mother taught him to love rock and roll. As an adult, Yoko taught him to CHANGE rock and roll forever.

Updated On: 8/29/05 at 09:53 AM

[Natalie 2]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:24am

I think it's a testament to this show that such passionate opinions have been ignited. I doubt that a "flop" would illicit such passion.

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. However, I have a question for this thread. Do you go to a show expecting to love it or expecting to hate it? Because I think either way, you rarely come away disappointed.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:29am

You should NEVER enter a show expecting to love it or hate it. Open minds are important when attending the theater.